To the editor:
Indigenous women and girls are dramatically more likely to be victims of homicides and to go missing in Canada.
In fact, while only four per cent of women in Canada are indigenous, this demographic accounted for a staggering 23 per cent of female homicide victims in 2012. That means almost one-in-four female murder victims in Canada are indigenous.
This ongoing tragedy was already a crisis when the Native Women’s Association of Canada identified almost 600 cases of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in recent decades in a 2009 study.
Now, a new RCMP report has identified almost 1,200 victims since 1984, doubling the previous estimate.
This epidemic of violence must end and the Conservative government, which claims to be tough on crime and to stand up for victims of crime, cannot continue to ignore this national disgrace.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s stubborn refusal to call a national public inquiry into the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls is in stark contrast to the overwhelming consensus in Canada. Grieving families, indigenous leaders, opposition parties, victims’ advocates, civil society and every provincial and territorial premier have all urged the government to call a national inquiry.
Only a national inquiry would have the scope and resources necessary to identify the root causes of the violence and outline concrete measures to turn this appalling situation around. It is the only way to provide justice for the victims, healing for their families and to put an end to the violence.
The prime minister’s opposition is ill-considered and short-sighted. We can and must rise to this challenge, and call a national inquiry now.
Carolyn Bennett, MP
Liberal Aboriginal Affairs Critic
